


There Is No Time Like The Present

by jurilit



Category: Gintama
Genre: Angst, Fluff, Humor, M/M, Romance, Sexual Content
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-12-06
Updated: 2016-02-18
Packaged: 2018-05-05 06:36:19
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 14,617
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5365079
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jurilit/pseuds/jurilit
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>There are times when Hijikata thinks that something is wrong with him. Times that he thinks he can accept the situation that stupid silver haired natural perm put him in. Times when he looks at that same stupid silver haired natural perm and want to punch him in the face. Times when he wants to make a wish. Times when he realizes that not everyone -- especially not himself -- is often given a second chance and times when he realizes that maybe second chances are in those stupid dead fish eyes.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. It Doesn't Make Sense to Have a Watch to Check the Time, Especially When You Have a Smartphone

1:34 PM. There was something wrong with Hijikata.

 

Hijikata opened his shitty flip phone and snapped it shut a few times, a photo of a mayonnaise bottle lighting up every time. It felt like hours had passed, but in reality, it was only a few minutes. He was doing paperwork today and he hated doing this shit but no one else was responsible enough to do it, so he was forced to stay inside today and get some work done. He would have rather done patrol today or something.

 

He groaned and leaned back on his hands, his back aching from droning over paper work all day. Incident reports, case summaries, search warrants, arrest documentation, trafficking tickets, requests for leave -- the whole lot of it was in stacks and stacks on his desk and even overflowed onto the floor like a fucking tidal wave, consuming him in mundane monotony. He needed some fresh air. And a smoke.

 

Hijikata swiped up his cigarettes and threw on his jacket, slamming the door behind him. He felt uneasy. He had been seeing that weird silver-haired perm around more often than usual and while that normally didn’t bother him too much, he was bothered more by the fact that he _wasn’t bothered by it at all_. It was _wrong_.

 

Hijikata had learned a strange amount of useless information about the equally useless handyman over the last few weeks; he liked mitarashi dango and green tea from Yataimura, the same place Hijikata liked the same exact meal; Gintoki always ordered weird pupus on the menu, like chicken and potato sweet chili mayo -- which Hijikata actually liked eating and if anything, his only complaint was that there wasn’t _enough_ mayonnaise; and while Gintoki drank Kirin all the time because it was cheap, he actually preferred Echigo, but didn’t get to drink it too often, as he had told Hijikata while he was piss-face-drunk at Ikumatsu’s Ramen.

 

Hijikata had never really thought that Gintoki was a bad person. He was lazy, definitely, but that about summed up his negative points as far as Hijikata could see. Any person that gave up his own money and time to take care of kids that weren’t his couldn’t be all that bad. And there were times when Gintoki had proven that he and Hijikata had the same values and morals and tried to always do the right thing...so Hijikata had actually begun to think that Gintoki was a good man.

 

Therefore, by that logic, Hijikata didn’t mind randomly seeing Gintoki around, they chatted -- argued -- here and there but Hijikata could tolerate Gintoki’s presence now. Or, well, perhaps tolerate wasn’t the right word, considering that they were sleeping together.

 

Hijikata had no idea how it even really started -- it probably had something to do with working too much, and having way too much to drink at a bar that Gintoki happened to be at ( _Yes, that was definitely it_ , Hijikata was going to with _that_ explanation) -- but now Hijikata found himself waking up in the middle of the night with Gintoki snoring quietly at his side.

 

Granted, Hijikata never stayed. When he woke up, whether it be at a hotel slathered in a too-tacky pink paint, or at Gintoki’s apartment, he always dressed himself as quietly as he could before slipping out. If Gintoki had a problem with it, he didn’t say anything, and nor did he show it. Although they had never talked about it, they weren’t in a relationship -- it was just something that was known and didn’t need to be expressed in words.

 

At least, that’s what Hijikata told himself when he allowed himself one last look at Gintoki pretending to sleep before he swept out into the night. Gintoki could go on pretending to sleep and Hijikata could go on pretending he didn’t see anything. It was how he attempted to have a cool head about...whatever it was they were doing.

 

Hijikata also told himself that his rendezvous with Gintoki weren’t that often for him to warrant not having a cool head, but being completely honest, they would see each other every week or so. Hijikata wasn’t even particularly sure if that was “often”. There would be times that Hijikata was busy for ten to twelve days -- that was normally long for them not to see each other -- but at the end of a case he often found himself at Gintoki’s apartment, drinking beers on his couch, and awoke sometime later in Gintoki’s futon.

 

1:56 PM.

 

“Oi, that’s mine!” roared a voice and Hijikata looked up to see half of Gintoki’s ice cream bitten off -- the perpetrator being China, whose nose was dotted with strawberry ice cream.

 

“I shared mine!” Kagura said, sticking her tongue out and using the back of her hand to wipe her nose.

 

“With the _ground_!” Gintoki told her, pointing to her ice cream on the dirt. “I couldn’t afford a parfait because _you_ wanted ice cream and _you_ dropped it! Why am _I_ suffering for it?”

 

“‘Cause I want ice cream!” Kagura argued, making a move to take another bite out of Gintoki’s ice cream, but he shoved his hand in her face, pushing her away and holding his ice cream out of her range.

 

“Gross!” Gintoki yelped as Kagura licked his hand. He pulled away and she jumped for the ice cream. She missed, but collided into Gintoki, knocking him and the ice cream cone onto the street. They both stared at it in disbelief.

 

“Gin-chan, look what you did!”

 

“Me?” Gintoki snapped, making a face at her. “You--”

 

“Oi, can you stop yelling in public, Yorozuya?” Hijikata scolded, making a face at Gintoki. He wasn’t even sure why he engaged other than the fact that he had been cooped up in his room alone all day. “Especially stop yelling at a brat. It makes you look like a creep.”

 

“Not you, too! You saw her drop my ice cream, I _know_ you did,” Gintoki said, pointing an accusing finger at Kagura as he stood up and brushed himself off. “Gin-san worked hard today and deserves ice cream.”

 

“Gin-chan, you just sat there!” Kagura reminded him, pouting. Hijikata figured that sounded about right. “Ugh, now I’m the one that has to go home with no ice cream! You promised you would get me ice cream!”

 

“Here,” Hijikata snapped, pulling out his wallet and handing China a bill. Kagura stared at it for a bit before taking it, looking back up at Hijikata. “If it’ll get you both to shut up, I can afford to buy some bums some ice cream--”

 

“Run, Kagura, run!” Gintoki cried, and Kagura was already running, Gintoki pushing her to boost her back into the ice cream shop a block away. “Get us both parfaits! Big ones!”

 

“Right, Gin-chan!” Kagura called back, clutching the money against her chest.

 

“Oi, China! I want the change-- _ugh_ , who am I kidding,” Hijikata mumbled, sighing exasperatedly.

 

“Taxpayer dollars going to a good cause,” Gintoki said with a smile, receiving a sharp look from Hijikata. He held his hands up in defense. “It’s true.”

 

“You’re seriously the worst,” Hijikata muttered, taking a drag from his cigarette.

 

There was a beat of silence between them, then, “Free tonight?”

 

“No,” Hijikata lied.

 

“When are we seeing each other again, then?”

 

“I have to look at your stupid face right now,” Hijikata said flatly.

 

“Cruel, Oogushi-kun,” Gintoki said, making a disgusted face. “ _I’m_ the one that has to smell _mayonnaise_ and cheap cigarettes. You have no idea what it’s like to be me!”

 

“Yeah, I’m truly unfortunate,” Hijikata fired back.

 

“I haven’t seen you in forever!” Gintoki complained.

 

“It’s been _three days_ , Yorozuya,” Hijikata told him.

 

“So I’ll make reservations for tonight, then, since _someone’s_ been keeping count,” Gintoki piped cheerfully.

 

“I’m not keeping-- _ugh_ you made the reservations already didn’t you?” Hijikata grumbled,

 

“Aw, you know me so well,” Gintoki cooed playfully.

 

“Stop just doing whatever you like!” Hijikata scolded.

 

“Well, we can’t go to my place, the kids are staying tonight,” he said with a shrug. “And I got a pretty decent deal for fixing some shingles on the roof of this place, so not only does Gin-san pay for the place, but he fixes it, too!”

 

“Not sure if that’s something to brag about,” he mumbled with a sigh. Hijikata had already expressed many times he would rather not meet up at a hotel. He couldn’t trust the owners to keep their mouths shut and if there were rumors about the Vice Commander of the Shinsengumi being seen at a love hotel, especially with another man, he would be in trouble.

 

And yet, he kept agreeing to meet Gintoki. There was something _seriously_ wrong with him.

 

“The bridge at 11,” Gintoki continued. “I have another job today so I’ll get some money and we can get something to drink.”

 

“Save what little money you have,” Hijikata told him. “I’ll bring drinks.”

 

“Then 11 it is,” Gintoki said as though he had won some kind of award.

 

“Don’t those brats wonder where you go?”

 

“Probably,” Gintoki said with a shrug.

 

“Doesn’t that _bother_ you?”

 

“Well, do _you_ want to tell them?” Gintoki asked, raising his eyebrow and tossing Hijikata a skeptical smirk. Hijikata didn’t say anything. Gintoki didn’t answer the question. “Yeah, I thought so. And it’s okay, Gin-san always makes it back home to them in the morning.”

 

“Whatever,” Hijikata grumbled. “I don’t finish work ‘til late.”

 

“And I won’t wait around if you’re too late, I know,” Gintoki said, raising his hands, as Hijikata said this to him often. But there hasn’t been a time that Hijikata didn’t show up. Neither of them mentioned this and maybe it was Gintoki saving Hijikata’s pride, but Hijikata didn’t care. Gintoki spotted Kagura jogging back with more ice cream. “Bring some Nigori sake, it’s Gin-san’s favorite. Thanks, Oogushi-kun!”

 

“Oi, why would I--” Hijikata started, but Gintoki was already running towards Kagura to retrieve his parfait and Hijikata just sighed exasperatedly, pulling out another cigarette. Something was definitely wrong with him.

 

\---

 

10:36 PM.

Hijikata glanced at the stack of paperwork he had left and then glanced at the clock. He groaned and rolled his shoulders back, stretching out. He’d gotten through a decent amount of paperwork today, despite having to take a few hours to hunt down Sougo, who was reported missing from his shift and therefore, probably taking a nap somewhere. Instead of napping, he’d found Sougo in a street fight with China, and Hijikata had been the unlucky soul who had to break apart the two monsters before dragging Sougo back to barracks. Sougo had almost immediately run off again and Hijikata had just given up. He was way too tired for that.

 

He scooted his legs out from under his table and stretched out a bit, flopping back onto the tatami mat to stare at the dim light on the ceiling. His futon was put away in his closet and he debated dragging it out and collapsing on it for the night. It would have been so easy and Hijikata was so exhausted. But he found himself pulling his body up to his feet and shrugging off his jacket. He hung it neatly and loosened his ascot, tossing it aside as he rummaged around for his yukata.

 

10:52 PM.

 

He glanced in the mirror before he left and scowled at his reflection. His hair was oily and askew from not having showered all day, and from raking his hands in it from paperwork and Sougo related headaches. Light purple bags were smeared under his eyes, and even the deep blue yukata he was wearing wasn’t having his shit today and despite having been folded nicely, was frumpy and wrinkled.

 

He looked like _shit_. Not that it mattered, since, _you know_ , Hijikata didn’t care what he looked like, _especially_ not when meeting with Gintoki. But It made Hijikata want to just collapse for the night even more, but Gintoki had already made reservations, and Hijikata already said he would bring drinks...so he snatched up his cigarettes, stuffing it into his pockets before heading out.

 

“Thanks,” Hijikata mumbled to the convenience store keeper as he shuffled out of the store, plastic bag in hand. The bridge he normally met Gintoki was about a block away. He bit a cigarette between his lips and lit it, inhaling deeply before blowing the smoke out into the Edo air.

 

He was so tired. Of a lot of things. Of paper work, of shitty criminals, of boring cases. Of everything. He never _hated_ work, he never regretted joining the Shinsengumi, but there were times where he just felt so _tired_. Everyday was the same. He always just sort of wished that there would be some kind of life or excitement in the work he did nowadays. But ever since he had met the Yorozuya, life livened up a bit, despite the three of them always causing trouble -- with Gintoki at the helm of it all, usually. And so Hijikata didn’t mind as much as he made it seem when he had to clean up after Gintoki’s mess.

 

But when was it that he started looking forward to seeing him?

 

11:11 PM. Maybe Hijikata should make a wish after all.

 

“Were you waiting long?” Hijikata asked. Gintoki had been leaning against the railing, looking at the water when Hijikata had arrived. Gintoki shook his head.

 

“Nah,” Gintoki said, even though Hijikata knew that Gintoki normally waited around at least fifteen minutes before their scheduled times. In case Hijikata came early. He knew only because there were times where he was early, but didn’t go to the bridge yet. Instead, he stayed a block away and smoked, wondering at what time it would be that Gintoki would finally leave.

 

But no matter how late Hijikata made him wait, Gintoki never left. Hijikata never said anything. He did what he always did and pretended he didn’t notice.

 

“Here,” Hijikata said, shoving the plastic bag into Gintoki’s hands. Gintoki seemed startled, but he lifted the bottle out of the bag and grinned.

 

“Oh, Gin-san’s favorite!” he said, showing the bottle of sake to Hijikata as though Hijikata hadn’t bought it himself. “Thanks, Hijikata.”

 

“Whatever,” Hijikata mumbled.

 

It was...weird when Gintoki used his name. He never called Hijikata by name in public. It was always Shinsengumi-san or some variation of his status as a police officer, or Mayora, or Oogushi-kun (whoever _that_ was). It was like something that Gintoki only saved for when they were together. Hijikata wasn’t sure how he felt about it. He wasn’t sure if the tight feeling in his chest whenever Gintoki used his name -- even just his surname -- was good or bad. Just that it made him feel...warm. Knowing that Gintoki kept something like that for use between the two of them.

 

Something was _definitely wrong_ with Hijikata, and it was _definitely_ that he was in too deep.

 

“The place is down here,” Gintoki said, crossing the bridge as he opened the bottle of sake and took a swig from it right away.

 

“Don’t drink in public,” Hijikata scolded with a sigh as Gintoki passed the bottle to Hijikata.

 

“Loosen up, you’re off the clock,” Gintoki teased, and kept his eyes on Hijikata until he took a sip from the sake bottle.Gintoki grinned like a proud parent before turning his eyes forward. “How was work?”

 

“I can’t tell you that,” Hijikata said, handing the bottle back to Gintoki.

 

“I know, I don’t needa know the details. I asked how it was.”

 

“Fine.”

 

“Catch any bad guys?”

 

“I’m with one now,” Hijikata told him, and Gintoki furrowed his brows playfully.

 

“Cruel. _I’m_ the one that’s with a _police officer_ ,” Gintoki said as though that were supposed to be more disgusting. “And a workaholic police officer nonetheless.”

 

“At least I’m not a lazy perm,” Hijikata said as Gintoki drank more and handed him back the bottle, chuckling off Hijikata’s comment. They argued a lot in public, in front of the Shinsengumi, in front of the kids, but when they were alone together...not so much. Hijikata was also not sure how he felt about this.

 

He could already see the hotel they were heading towards; a little traditional building with the front porch illuminated with red lights. It was a little less obvious than other love hotels in Kabuki-cho, and therefore, Hijikata surmised, it must have been more expensive.

 

The first time they had ever had sex, it had been in a very shady, cheap, _sticky_ hotel -- literally the first one they stumbled into -- and Hijikata had vehemently expressed his disdain for it, perhaps even moreso than his disdain for what they’d just did together. After that, Hijikata began noticing that when Gintoki couldn’t clear the kids from his apartment, the hotels he began picking were a bit nicer and more subtle, which also meant that Gintoki was probably dropping several thousand yen for places like these.

 

But Hijikata never said anything. He just pretended he didn’t notice.

 

11:32 PM.

 

Gintoki checked in at the front and snatched up the keys before leading Hijikata up the stairs and down the hall to their room. By the time they reached their room, the bottle of sake was almost empty. Hijikata handed it back to Gintoki as he closed the door.

 

“You can have the rest,” he said, and Gintoki grinned before finishing off the bottle. Hijikata was already feeling a bit light headed, but it was probably from fatigue and lack of food combined with that sake. He plopped down on the bed -- good _God_ these beds were soft -- and Gintoki laid next to him, propping himself up on his elbow.

 

Hijikata turned and made a face at him. “W-what?” he asked, unable to discern the meaning of Gintoki’s stare.

 

Gintoki shook his head and shrugged at the same time. “Nothing,” he said, rolling over so that he was on top of Hijikata. He raised his hand and flicked the hair out of Hijikata’s face, Hijikata squinting and trying to press himself further into the bed and away from Gintoki’s piercing crimson eyes. “You just look good, I dunno.”

 

Hijikata felt heat creep up over his neck and face and averted his eyes, but told himself that it was from the alcohol. “D-don’t just say shit like that,” he mumbled as Gintoki grinned, pressing their lips together.

 

Hijikata was already used to kissing Gintoki. His lips were always warm and they were a little wet this time from the sake, but Hijikata didn’t care. He opened his mouth when Gintoki licked at his bottom lip and let their tongues twist together as Hijikata’s arms wrapped around Gintoki’s back. Their kiss became more heated, noses nudging and teeth bumping lightly as they tried to decrease any amount of space between them.

 

Gintoki pulled at Hijikata’s yukata, loosening the collar before breaking his kiss with Hijikata and moving to his neck. Hijikata titled his head back, allowing Gintoki to suck and bite at the sensitive flesh. His hands still trembled sometimes when he undressed Gintoki, and they were still trembling tonight when he undid Gintoki’s belt. But he unzipped Gintoki’s shirt a little more confidently, pressing his fingers to Gintoki’s chest.

 

Gintoki’s kimono slumped off his shoulders and he lifted his arms for a moment to shrug it off, and then pressed his lips to Hijikata’s chest, sucking on a spot right above his left collarbone that he knew Hijikata liked. Gintoki’s memory was rewarded with the breath catching audibly in Hijikata’s throat and his hands tightening around Gintoki.

 

Gintoki left bruises over Hijikata’s collarbone and chest -- the last time he’d left them any higher, he’d gotten an earful from Hijikata and he didn’t want to deal with that again. He licked around and bit softly at Hijikata’s nipples, eliciting quiet gasps and moans. Hijikata’s hips were tilting up into Gintoki’s, hungry for friction. Gintoki lowered one of his hands to palm against Hijikata, who wrapped his arms around Gintoki tighter. Gintoki tugged off Hijikata’s sash and opened his yukata, kissing down his abdomen.

 

“Oi, Hijikata, you wanna try something fun?” Gintoki’s voice was low and musky as he looked up at Hijikata from under his eyelashes. It was physically impossible for Hijikata to say no.

 

But he suddenly wish he had said something -- _literally anything_ \-- because the next thing he knew, his hands were tied up above him to the headboard with his yukata sash. He struggled a bit but his hands were tied _tight_. “Yorozuya, untie me!” he snapped, mildly annoyed.

 

“Nuh-uh,” Gintoki teased, grinning at Hijikata, his fingers slipping under the waistband of Hijikata’s boxers, slowly pulling them down his legs. He tossed them aside and licked his lips and Hijikata would be lying if he said that wasn’t just incredibly sexy. The lust buried in Gintoki’s eyes reminded Hijikata of a hungry wild animal and Hijikata suddenly felt exposed. “Just lie there, it’ll be fun,” he promised, and Hijikata was about to protest when Gintoki’s mouth sank down over his cock.

 

“ _Ahh, fuck_!” Hijikata let out involuntarily, throwing his head back. Gintoki’s mouth was incredibly hot and he couldn’t help but spread his legs for Gintoki. Gintoki came back up, hooking one of Hijikata’s legs over his shoulder as he swirled his tongue over the tip and sucked on the head before going back down again.

 

Gintoki’s cheeks were hollowed out as he devoured Hijikata’s cock all the way to the back of his throat. Hijikata could feel feral moans trying to rip their way out of his chest but he clenched his teeth to keep them in. Gintoki seemed to know this and lifted one of his hands to work Hijikata’s balls.

 

Hijikata was clenching his teeth so hard he thought he might shatter. He tilted his hips up very slightly in rhythm to Gintoki and Gintoki didn’t seem to mind, allowing Hijikata to fuck into his mouth. Hijikata couldn’t take his eyes off Gintoki; he was using his other hand now to undo the zipper of his pants and pull out his own swollen cock wet with precum. He stroked himself for a bit in rhythm and then looked up at Hijikata, their eyes locking, Hijikata’s cock still in Gintoki’s mouth.

 

Hijikata couldn’t help himself, he let out a heavy moan and felt Gintoki smile around his cock. Gintoki stopped working Hijikata’s balls for a moment and reached into his pocket to pull out a tiny bottle of lube. He slathered his fingers in it, and without warning, pressed one up into Hijikata.

 

Hijikata hissed and shifted his hands and Gintoki came off Hijikata’s cock with a wet pop. He leaned his head against Hijikata’s knee, his hair disheveled and tangled, his lips wet and swollen and Hijikata almost couldn’t look at him for fear of coming right onto his face. Gintoki would never let him hear the end of it.

 

“Just relax,” Gintoki said, lowering his face to lick and suck at Hijikata’s tip. When he had loosened up, Gintoki inserted another finger into Hijikata and scissored them together, Hijikata letting out a moan that he stifled by slamming his teeth together.

 

“Let your voice out,” Gintoki encouraged him. “Gin-san wants to hear.”

 

“S-shut up,” Hijikata breathed tersely, and Gintoki licked his lips again, shifting the angle of his fingers to graze Hijikata’s prostate. “Ah, _shit_ ,” he hissed, his back arching off the bed. He wriggled his hands but they were still bound as tightly as ever to the headboard. “D-dammit, Yorozuya, untie me,” he snapped, but Gintoki didn’t seem to hear him. Gintoki massaged Hijikata’s prostate again and again, licking and sucking at his cock until Hijikata was a panting, moaning wreck underneath him.

 

Hijikata could feel his wrists becoming raw just from the fabric. He wanted to break them and muss his fingers through Gintoki’s silver hair. Being unable to do so was incredibly annoying. Gintoki was at three fingers inside Hijikata and Hijikata could see Gintoki’s cock glistening with precum.

 

“Yorozuya, just-- _ah_ , fuck--” Hijikata breathed, letting out another moan as Gintoki hit his prostate again.

 

“Who’s that?” Gintoki asked. raising himself a bit to bite at Hijikata’s legs.

 

“Don’t pull this shit,” Hijikata snapped, though it was an empty threat, and Gintoki smirked, knowing it.

 

“I don’t know who _you’re_ begging,” Gintoki teased, pulling out his fingers as Hijikata groaned. Gintoki shrugged off his shirt and pulled off his pants painfully slowly and Hijikata couldn’t take his eyes off the way the red light from outside outlined his muscles. Hijikata’s cock twitched in anticipation. Gintoki popped open the lube and poured it over his cock, stroking himself and Hijikata watched Gintoki’s arms flex. “But it’s definitely not me.”

 

“You know what I mean,” Hijikata snapped. He wanted those arms on either side of his head so he could watch Gintoki fuck him senseless.

 

“I really don’t,” Gintoki said innocently.

 

“Untie me _now_ ,” Hijikata snapped again, trying to pull his hands free. Gintoki aligned their hips and Hijikata tried to adjust to push himself onto Gintoki, already aching to be filled, but Gintoki held his hips in place.

 

“Who are you begging, Hijikata?” Gintoki continued, ignoring Hijikata and lifting Hijikata’s legs up over his shoulders. He licked his lips as Hijikata was being so stubborn. “Say my name will you?”

 

Hijikata knew that Gintoki would have to give in eventually, but the problem was that he wanted Gintoki right now. “G-gintoki, will you just _fuck_ \-- ah, _fuck_ ,” Hijikata groaned as Gintoki pushed into him all at once, all the way to the hilt.

 

“Again,” Gintoki said quietly, pulling back out. “Say it again.”

 

“Gintoki,” Hijikata breathed and Gintoki obliged, thrusting back into Hijikata and up into Hijikata’s prostate. The bed creaked as Gintoki slammed into Hijikata over and over again, both of his hands on either side of Hijikata. Hijikata continued letting out tiny moans and whispers of Gintoki’s name.

 

“G-gintoki, _ah_ ,” Hijikata groaned, shifting his hands against the headboard. Gintoki looked up and shook his head. “Gin, please.”

 

“You’re gonna hit me,” Gintoki told him through thrusts.

 

“N-no, I won’t,” Hijikata promised quietly. “Please.”

 

Gintoki groaned, pausing for a bit, still inside Hijikata, pressing hard against his prostate. The chances of Hijikata hitting him were probably pretty high. But for the Demon Vice Commander to beg and say _please_ while writhing in pleasure beneath him, _well_ , Gintoki had no choice but to obey and see what would happen. He pulled off the sash, tossed it and fully expected to be punched in the face, but instead, Hijikata wrapped his arm around Gintoki to bring him closer, pressing their lips together in a kiss. It was sloppy and wet but Gintoki didn’t care and kissed him back.

 

Gintoki resumed moving, pushing into Hijikata again and again as their tongues entwined, Hijikata letting out more moans, his fingers dragging across Gintoki’s back and up through his hair. Gintoki pressed his forehead against Hijikata’s and lowered one of his hands to stroke Hijikata’s cock. Hijikata was panting and moaning, feeling a surge of heat bubble up inside of him. “Ah, Gintoki,” he moaned and felt Gintoki nod and spilled over Gintoki’s hand and onto his own stomach. A few more thrusts sand Gintoki suddenly pulled out, a burn ripping through him as he bit into Hijikata’s collarbone, coming onto Hijikata’s stomach as well.

 

They were breathing hard and Gintoki rolled off Hijikata and then stood up, snatched up tissues from the nightstand and cleaned Hijikata up. He tossed the tissues away and turned back to get into bed.

 

He grinned. “Oh, man, that was--” he started but was interrupted with Hijikata’s fist in his face. Gintoki was knocked to the ground.

 

Gintoki seemed surprised at first and then pointed an accusing finger at Hijikata, using the other to clutch at his face. “You _promised_! You said you wouldn’t hit me!”

 

“W-well, you shouldn’t have tied me up!” Hijikata snapped with a huff, rolling over and throwing the blanket over himself as Gintoki stood up, flopping into bed.

 

“Rude! You lied to Gin-san!” Gintoki said, ripping the blanket off Hijikata and up and around himself a few times and then flopping back down like a burrito. “Gin-san only wanted to show you a good time. This is mine now!”

 

“Oh, quit acting like a baby,” Hijikata snapped, latching onto the end of the blanket and tugging, but Gintoki had rolled in it tightly. Hijikata grabbed whatever he could, threw it over himself and rolled back over.

 

“Raaaaaaaaaaah!” Gintoki roared and rolled back over Hijikata’ smooshing him with his whole body. “Feel Gin-san’s wrath!” He bounced with his full body weight, as Hijikata cried out muffled protests until Gintoki was laughing and Hijikata pushed him off.

 

“You’re ridiculous,” Hijikata huffed, but he wasn’t mad. Hijikata was out of breath and before he could snap something else at Gintoki, Gintoki threw up the blanket so that they were both under it as it floated back onto the bed. His hand was soft on Hijikata’s face as Gintoki tilted his head to kiss Hijikata quick on the lips and laid down as the blanket fell on top both of them.

 

Hijikata just sort of sat there, not looking at Gintoki, who was grinning up at him.

 

“You’re the worst,” Hijikata mumbled, laying back down with his back facing Gintoki, who just laughed.

 

“I know,” Gintoki agreed. He sat up a bit, holding his hand out to touch Hijikata’s wrists. They were a bit burned and welted and Gintoki offered up a sheepish smile. “Sorry.”

 

“It’s fine,” Hijikata said with a sigh.

 

“Thanks for coming out to meet me.”

 

“Whatever,” Hijikata grumbled, but he was also glad he had come out. He...had fun when he was with Gintoki. Not that he would ever admit something like that out loud. He leaned over the side of the bed, fishing his phone out of his yukata. He sighed.

 

1:17 AM. Still pretty early. Gintoki normally rented out hotels long enough for them to have sex, shower, take a nap and be back to their homes before morning. There was still a lot of time left. Hijikata knew something was wrong with him because he...kind of just wanted to sleep. Not at home. Here, with Gintoki, until morning.

 

But instead, he lied. “I have to get back soon.”

 

“Okay, you can shower first, then,” Gintoki said, and he sat up as Hijikata got out of bed, flicking on the TV.

 

Hijikata stood up, gathered his clothes and headed into the bathroom for a shower. When he came out fifteen minutes later, he felt refreshed and clean and _happy_ \-- the urge to just collapse onto the bed and fall asleep was almost overwhelming.

 

Almost.

 

Gintoki was still sitting on the bed watching late night anime in his boxers and unzipped shirt. “Good shower?”

 

“Surprisingly,” Hijikata said, rubbing the towel through his hair one last time to dry it off before tossing it onto the bed.

 

“Gin-san even fixed the water pressure. He is truly an amazing yorozuya,” he bragged, wiggling his eyebrows and Hijikata rolled his eyes.

 

“Oh, how savvy of you,” Hijikata told him sarcastically, pulling on his yukata. “Oi, those are mine!” Hijikata snapped, finally noticing that Gintoki was smoking a cigarette.

 

“Haaah? They’re cheap, you can buy more with that wonderful government salary of yours,” Gintoki said, waving him off as he blew out more smoke. He tossed Hijikata’s pack back to him and held out his lighter.

 

Instead of lighting a cigarette, Hijikata just took the lighter back, stuffing it in his pocket. “I’ll smoke on the way back. I have to leave soon,” he said.

 

“You sure?” Gintoki asked. “We still have a few more hours if you’re tired,” Gintoki told him, turning to look at him. “I can wake you up.”

 

“ _You_ can’t even wake up.”

 

“Um, it was a _gesture_ , I’m not actually gonna do it,” Gintoki said as though that was supposed to be obvious. “You’re the one with the fancy cell phone with alarms and shit.”

 

“You need to learn how to use your phone,” Hijikata sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose. “I really need to get back though.”

 

Gintoki shrugged. “Suit yourself.”

 

“Thanks, uh, for renting out the room,” Hijikata said. “I’ll...call you next time I’m free.”

 

“Okay,” Gintoki said with a grin. “Speaking of free,” he Gintoki piped and Hijikata looked up, raising an eyebrow. “So, I know you’re normally off on Friday afternoons and that, even if you’re not possessed by that otaku, you like Rurouni Kenshin. There’s this sorta, like, movie special thing? On Friday, they’re gonna show the first two movies and I was gonna go. You wanna come?”

 

Hijikata froze. He didn’t know what to say. He and Gintoki never really spent time together when the sun was up, or spent time in general doing things that didn’t involve drinking or sex. They never even really had meals together, and now Gintoki was inviting him to a movie?

 

“How did you know I like Kenshin?” Hijikata asked, instead of answering the question.

 

“Huh? Oh, I saw a couple of volumes in your room one time,” Gintoki said absently, shrugging as though it wasn’t a big deal. It was a big deal to Hijikata that Gintoki would remember such a trivial piece of information, especially since they never talked about it before.. “Figured you’re not super into manga and stuff, but you had the Kenshin tankobons. You must’ve liked it.”

 

“Yeah, I do,” Hijikata confirmed.

 

“Soooo, movies?” Gintoki asked, raising an eyebrow with a grin.

 

The thought of seeing Gintoki when the sun was up -- what did that mean for their relationship? Hijikata did enjoy time he spent with Gintoki but that was because of what they spent doing with that time. It would make whatever they were doing way too messy if they started seeing each other during the day or seeing each other to do other things. So despite the fact that Hijikata was, indeed off -- _how did Gintoki know that anyway?_ \-- and despite the fact that he actually...kind of wanted to go, Hijikata lied again.

 

“Sorry, I got scheduled this Friday afternoon.”.

 

Gintoki shrugged. “Okay,” he said nonchalantly, still grinning. “Just thought I’d ask you first since I know you like Kenshin. I’ll take the kids instead. I’m sure Kagura-chan would wanna go.”

 

“Oh. Okay,” Hijikata said. That was...easy. He was expecting some sort of spectacle. “Sorry.”

 

Gintoki laughed, waving him off. “Nothing to apologize for, Oogushi-kun,” Gintoki said, and for some reason the use of that stupid nickname made Hijikata the most annoyed he had ever been with Gintoki in a long time.

 

But, as usual, Hijikata didn’t say anything. He just pretended not to notice the tightening in his chest.

  
1:42 AM. Hijikata left the room without another word.


	2. Scientific Studies Show You Retain Notes Better When You Write Them Down But Maybe That's Only For School and Not Stalkers

 

11:47 AM.

 

Hijikata had been up for a few hours already, despite it being his day off. Granted, he only did have the day off and started patrol later in the evening, but nevertheless, he was awake and he was mildly annoyed.

 

He found himself in front of the Yorozuya household door. Holding a bento. Two bentos. For lunch, maybe? He had no idea why he had come here. Maybe he was just restless. Maybe he felt bad about lying to Gintoki and turning him down. Maybe he actually did want to go to the movies with Gintoki. What time were the movies anyway? Who knew? All he did know was that Gintoki did not answer the door.

 

“Mayora?” Kagura asked, raising an eyebrow at Hijikata when she came to the door. She was chewing on some sukonbu. Her bottom lip jutted out in a pout. “If you want money for the ice cream for yesterday, that’s pretty stingy, and--”

 

“It’s fine, China. It was my treat,” Hijikata told her, raising his hand.

 

“Well, what are you doing here? Is Gin-chan under arrest?” she asked slowly, seeming to notice that Hijikata wasn’t wearing his uniform. She tilted her head in confusion.

 

“No,” Hijikata told her. “Uh, actually, where is Yorozuya?”

 

“Oh, he went to the movies,” she said with a shrug.

 

“Without you and Shimura?”

 

“Shinpachi is with the Boss today and I don’t like Kenshin,” Kagura said, narrowing her eyes and shifting them side to side. “For some reason I have a feeling I’m not gonna like that whole Battousai thing, I get itchy thinking about it…”

 

“Sure,” Hijikata agreed, not even really sure what that meant. “So, he just went by himself?”

 

“I dunno,” Kagura said with a shrug, furrowing her brows and squinting at Hijikata suspiciously. “Why? Are you gonna arrest him?”

 

“No, I’m not going to arrest him,” Hijikata sighed. “Nevermind, I’ll get going.” He turned but then paused for a moment. “You have lunch, right? That lazy perm didn’t just _leave you_.”

 

“I have eggs, duh,” Kagura said as though that were supposed to be the solution to everything. He had no idea what the hell she was going to make with just eggs but he had an inkling that it was definitely not going to be _just eggs_. Whatever that meant.

 

“Here,” Hijikata said, shoving the bentos into her hands. “I owed Yorozuya something,” he told her, though that wasn’t a lie because he _did_ owe Gintoki an apology. “You can have his lunch.”

 

Kagura opened it and gasped, it was two bentos with lots of beef, hotdogs, chicken, eggs and sushi and rice. She clutched it happily as though it was such a huge treat. “Ehhhh, really?! Thanks, Mayora!” she said, grinning. “I’ll tell Gin-chan you came by!”

 

“There’s no need,,” Hijikata told her. “It’s fine. Enjoy your lunch.”

 

“Do you wanna come in and eat? There’s lots of eggs inside! We can put it on rice!” Kagura said.

 

“I have to head back,” Hijikata told her, still no idea what she planned on doing with more eggs.

 

“Are you sure? I don’t mind sharing, since you bought it, I guess.”

 

“It’s fine,” Hijikata said. “My treat. I’ll see you around, China. Stay outta trouble, yeah?”

 

“Sure, sure, thanks Mayora!” she said with a bright smile. “Oh, oh, Gin-chan is probably at the movies already if you wanted to catch up with him!”

 

“I don’t,” Hijikata told her as a matter of fact, but she was already waving goodbye and closing the door, so he could only sigh and head downstairs. He looked left and right. The movies weren’t that far away; he could just casually stroll by, and--

 

Hijikata groaned, rubbing the bridge of his nose. He kind of hated himself right now and felt just as bad as Kondo stalking Otae. But...he did feel bad about lying to Gintoki. At least that’s what he told himself as he headed towards the theatres.

  
  


12:17 PM.

 

Gintoki was almost too easy to spot. The silver hair and white kimono was way too visible; even if Hijikata didn’t want to see Gintoki, he couldn’t help it. He seemed to be looking at a street vendor’s shop for some snacks before the movie. He was by himself. Hijikata actually did feel a little bad, he didn’t mean for Gintoki to go alone and Gintoki said he was going with the kids.

 

He took a breath and made a move to approach Gintoki, but immediately veered off when Gintoki was flanked by a woman. Hijikata ducked near a stall on the end of the street. The woman Gintoki was with was actually really pretty. In an edgy kind of way. Her dirty blonde hair was swept up into a bun kept together by what Hijikata thought were kunai, but he wasn’t even particularly sure because _why_? Her black maple patterned kimono was slit high up her legs, showing off her fishnet stockings and boots. Her face was scarred up but even despite that, Hijikata still thought she was beautiful.

 

Definitely the kind of woman Gintoki would like. If Gintoki liked women. Which, Hijikata remembered, he _did_.

 

“Do you even have money to be buying sweets?” she asked, raising an eyebrow and blowing smoke out of her kiseru.

 

“Gin-san is extremely well off, Tsukky, thank you very much,” he told her, handing the street vendor one bill in exchange for a pack of candy. “And it’s not for me,” he reminded her, dropping it into the hands of a brown haired kid who grinned up at Gintoki. “Hinowa-san’s paying for it.”

 

Gintoki reached over to grab some candy from the bag, but Tsukuyo whacked his hand with her kiseru. “If it’s Seita’s, it’s _Seita’s_ , not yours,” she told him smugly, to which Gintoki pouted as Tsukuyo took some of the kid’s candy and ate some herself. She laughed, shaking her head. “I’m kidding. Lunch is on me. Since you did pay for the tickets.”

 

“Alright, _you_ said it, so it’s a promise,” Gintoki agreed quickly, already in a better mood. “ _And_ I get to pick the place. And I get to order whatever I want!”

 

Tsukuyo smacked him again. “Oi, don’t get carried away!” she scolded as Seita laughed.

 

It wasn’t like Gintoki and Hijikata were in a relationship. And it was Hijikata that had turned Gintoki down to the movies in the first place. Hijikata had no right to be feeling anything other than neutral about seeing Gintoki out with someone else.

 

So Hijikata decided it was just best for him to go back to barracks and do work. It was definitely not because he suddenly felt very sick at the scene that had just unfolded before him. Definitely not because Gintoki and that woman and kid looked good together, definitely not because he actually seemed to like her. Nope. None of that.

  
  


12:30 PM. Gintoki turned back, having felt eyes on him. There was no one there.

  
  


5:59 PM.

 

“I’m home,” Gintoki called into the house after the movies. It was almost dinner and he’d picked up some groceries on the way home with what little money he did have left. Kagura must be hungry; he’d felt bad about leaving her at home all day, but she had eggs.

 

“Gin-chan,” Kagura greeted from the living room. Sadaharu was laid out on the living room, as Kagura had been watching TV. Littered on the table were the remains of what Gintoki thought were two bentos.

 

“Did you rob a convenience store?” Gintoki asked, making a face at her. He pretended to wipe a tear and sniffed. “Gin-san is so proud.”

 

“No!” Kagura exclaimed, making a face at him.

 

“Okay, then you’re definitely holding out on me,” Gintoki said, a second look at the boxes causing him to realize that the bentos were from an actual restaurant, packaged in nice take home boxes that were even reusable! That was no convenience store shit. Gintoki could only dream of the lunch Kagura had. _Without him_. “Did you do a job today or something?”

 

“No,” Kagura answered, changing the stations on the TV. She looked back to Gintoki and sat up, grinning. “Mayora came by and dropped off lunch!”

 

Gintoki wasn’t sure he’d heard correctly. “Haah? Mayora? Oogushi-kun?” he asked, his brows creasing. “Came _here_?”

 

“Yeah, he brought food,” Kagura said with a shrug.

 

“Um, why?”

 

“I dunno, I don’t ask questions when I’m getting free food, Gin-chan,” Kagura said, and then added proudly, “Just like you taught me!”

 

“Yeah and Gin-san taught you well, but when a police officer comes to your house and gives you food, you should ask questions, Kagura-chan,” Gintoki told her. “They’re _police officers_.”

 

“I dunno, he probably came to see _you_ ,” Kagura said with a shrug.

 

“Ew, don’t say that,” Gintoki told her, plopping down on the couch and rifling through her trash, wondering if there was any scraps left. He had groceries, sure, but if there were leftovers, that meant he could save the groceries! And it also meant he didn’t have to cook.

 

“Well, he wasn’t here to arrest you. I asked him twice,” Kagura said, holding up the appropriate amount of fingers. “He wasn’t wearing his shitty uniform and he said he owed you, I dunno,” she said, flipping the channel again.

 

“Owes _me_?” Gintoki asked, confused, making a face. “So he gives _you_ lunch?

 

“You weren’t home,” Kagura said with a grin. “Gin-chan should leave more often so I can get more food for free!”

 

“Yeah, right,” Gintoki teased, standing up to flick her forehead. He gathered the groceries to head to the kitchen. “Whatever, well, I bought some groceries on the way home, wanna eat tonkatsu tonight?”

 

Kagura burst up excitedly, gasping. “Gin-chan, you bought tonkatsu stuff?”

 

“Isn’t Gin-san amazing?” he boasted, laughing and Kagura grinned. He dug out a few crumpled bills from his pocket and handed them to Kagura. “Do me a favor and get us something to drink from down the street, yeah?”

 

“Okay!” she exclaimed, hopping off the couch. She reigned in her giant puppy. “Sadaharu, let’s go!”

 

When Kagura was out of the house, Gintoki put the groceries away and grabbed the phone in the living room. He tugged out a scrap of paper from inside his desk and squinted to read the numbers, punching them into the phone.

  
  


[ 6:14 PM ] Shitty Natural Perm Missed Calls (2)

 

Hijikata glanced at his phone after having watched it ring. He had gotten home a while ago and worked on some more paper work. It was almost time for his patrol. He didn’t feel like leaving his room and didn’t feel like answering a call from Gintoki.

 

[ 6:18 PM ] Shitty Natural Perm New Voicemail

 

Hijikata looked down at his phone again and stared at it as hard as he could, as though it were fighting with him. Gintoki would have normally called another 40 times and been super annoying about not being able to e-mail him because he didn’t want to pay, but after only 2 missed calls, he left a message. Maybe it was important. Maybe Hijikata could bear to listen to it.

 

6: 26 PM. Hijikata lost the staring contest. He picked it up and held it to his ear to listen to the message.

 

“Shit, can you pick up, you know I can’t afford e-mailing your mayo ass,” Gintoki groaned and Hijikata had the strong urge to crush his phone to dust. “Ugh, anyway, I just, uh, wanted to say sorry and uh, thanks,” he huffed quietly and Hijikata furrowed his brows. “Sorry I wasn’t in when you came by, and thanks for bringing lunch for Kagura-chan. She only has eggs. Is it just me, or does anyone else not know what the hell she does with just eggs? I think she just cracks them over rice. Anyway,” Gintoki sighed, and Hijikata could imagine him shaking his head.

 

“Sooooooo, I’m making dinner, tonkatsu, if you wanted to come and eat with us or whatever. I bought a lot of stuff so there’ll be enough for you, isn’t Gin-san great?” he boasted and Hijikata rolled his eyes. How long was Gintoki’s message anyway?

 

“Yeah, so just, um, come by or something if you want, I’d hate to have to owe a tax-stealing government puppy for feeding my kid,” he said, but Hijikata knew it was a joke. Somewhat. He would still give Gintoki an earful for it. There was a long pause and Hijikata thought Gintoki had hung up. “But in case you don’t come by, I just wanted to say that the Kenshin movies were pretty good, you missed out. But I’ll see you for dinner, right?”

 

6:30PM. With a dull click, Gintoki’s message ended.

 

(Hijikata would later go on to tell himself that his finger slipped and that’s why he saved the message. And when Gintoki later went on to find it, he smiled, and kept it to himself.)

 

Hijikata actually did kind of want to go over and eat -- he was hungry -- but he actually did work this time and didn’t feel like telling Gintoki that he worked yet again. But...he really did want to see Gintoki.

 

He groaned and flopped over onto the tatami mat. Patrol was in about an hour, maybe he could stop by for just a little…

 

 _No_. Hijikata shook his head to confirm his thoughts. He really needed to pull himself together--

 

“Hijikata-san,” called a lethargic voice and his door was nearly ripped open. Sougo was standing in the door, peering in. “Kondo-san, Hijikata-san isn’t here, there’s only a pathetic pile of shit on the ground,” Sougo called back to whom Hijikata assumed was no one. He knew Kondo wasn’t waiting outside or anything; Sougo was just heckling. Hijikata burst up and fired Sougo a glare that would have made children cry.

 

“What do you want, Sougo?” he snapped.

 

“A bunch of us are gonna go out to dinner,” he said. “I know you’re on patrol tonight so I thought I would just ask if you could come.”

 

“ _No_ , I can’t.”

 

“Great,” Sougo said with a bright smile. “I’ll bring you some leftovers. We’re going to your favorite place.”

 

“ _Leave_.”

 

“Bye, bye, Hijikata-san, go die,” Sougo said flatly, slamming the door shut as loud as he could, almost as if he was trying to break it. Hijikata sighed, shaking his head. He wished he would be able to see Gintoki but it just didn’t seem likely tonight. He reached for his phone and set an alarm. A nap before his patrol would definitely help for the long night ahead.

  
  


10:52 PM. Hijikata hadn’t shown up for dinner at Gintoki’s.

 

It wasn’t like Gintoki had really expected anything. They didn’t often see each other outside of sex, and Gintoki knew he was breaking the cardinal rule of having a no-strings-attached type of relationship -- by being attached. It wasn’t like he wanted to be. It wasn’t like he asked for this. It just sort of happened over time and when Hijikata left, sometimes Gintoki would wonder what it would be like if he stayed. Pursuing his curiosity never seemed to work, though. Hijikata was a persistently naive bastard.

 

Kagura was passed out on the couch after having eaten way too much tonkatsu and drinking way too much juice. Their table and floor was littered with crumbs and empty strawberry milk cartons and juice bottles and Gintoki knew he had to clean up. But he didn’t care. He was able to give Kagura a good dinner for once and that’s what mattered the most.

 

“Oi, come on, time for bed, Kagura-chan,” Gintoki sighed, nudging Kagura. “If you sleep on the couch you’re gonna catch a cold, come on.”

 

When Kagura didn’t move, Gintoki sighed again, running a hand through his hair. “Ugh, Kagura-chan, you and I are way too old for this shit,” he mumbled, but scooped her up and carried her to her closet, dumping her in. He swept the covers over her and closed the door, but not all the way, just in case she needed light.

 

“G’night Gin-chan, thanks for dinner,” he heard her tiny voice mumble and he sighed again, but wasn’t mad. He shuffled around to clean the living room and wash the dishes. Shinpachi would be back tomorrow and he would get a lecture if this place was a mess while he was gone.

 

He checked the fridge and groaned. He had forgotten to buy beer. How could he forget something so important? Right, because he was too distracted with wondering what the movies would have been like if Hijikata had gone with him.

 

He checked his pockets and found about 1,000 yen in change left and nearly cried. He could afford a 6-pack of cheap beer, which was all he needed. He’d already missed the 11:00 news with Ketsuno Ana so he would have to settle for drinking and passing out to late night anime.

 

Ah, the joys of being a yorozuya.

 

He quietly put on his boots and headed down to the convenience store.

  
  


11:11 PM. The world was most cruel to those who made wishes.

 

Hijikata yawned. His shift only started three hours ago and he already wanted to go back home. There was surprisingly nothing going on on a Friday night that needed his attention. That, or it wasn’t late enough yet. He was guessing it was the latter, but he wasn’t even sure if he would make it to the hour where good shit would happen.

 

He had passed by the Yorozuya’s house a few times now. He had considered going up more than a few times. And gone up zero times. He pulled out his pack of cigarettes - he really needed a smoke -- only to find that it was empty. He had smoked the last one in his room earlier.

 

The nearest convenience store was down the street from the Yorozuya’s. Convenient enough. The last time he’d walked by the Yorozuya’s house, the lights were still on, which meant that Gintoki and Kagura were probably still watching TV together. Hijikata could go to this new convenience store safely--

 

He felt a sharp tug on his arm and his body being dragged into an alley. His hand immediately flew to his sword, but he felt another hand slam over his, stopping him. “What the hell?” Gintoki hissed, making a face at him. “Oh my God, you were gonna cut me!”

 

“Y-you!” Hijikata hissed back in the dark, barely making out Gintoki’s features. “Why are you dragging me into an alley?”

 

“Don’t make like you weren’t stalking me,” he said, but Hijikata could tell he was teasing by the slight shifts in his tonation. Ugh. He felt gross for knowing that.

 

“I’m not stalking you, I’m on patrol,” Hijikata fired back.

 

“Yeah, in _Kabuki-cho?_ ” Gintoki asked skeptically.

 

“Yeah, and?” Hijikata snapped, for lack of better words. Gintoki seemed to know and laughed. Hijikata suddenly realized how close they were; he could feel Gintoki’s breath hot on his skin. “W-why did you drag me in here? What do you want?”

 

“You to pay attention to me,” Gintoki answered honestly and Hijikata was glad it was dark because he was pretty sure his face was red. “And,” Gintoki added, but didn’t finish his sentence with words, instead leaned over, his lips hovering over Hijikata’s for a second. It was like he was waiting for Hijikata to close the distance but he didn’t have to wait very long; Hijikata pressed their lips together.

 

It was soft at first, like how their kisses normally started, but grew heated and thick, and Hijikata felt his back hit the side of the building, and the feel of silver hair tangled between his fingers as they kissed deeper. Gintoki’s hands shifted under Hijikata’s jacket, sliding under the waistband of his pants and Hijikata pulled away, hands on Gintoki’s chest.

 

“Oy, quit it! I-I’m on duty!” he scolded, but there was no conviction behind his words.

 

“Sorry, sorry, my bad,” Gintoki chuckled kissing Hijikata lightly on the lips again. “Wanna ditch work and watch TV with Gin-san? No naughty stuff though, Gin-san’s kid is home.”

 

Gintoki had made it very clear early on that if one of the kids was staying over at the house, they basically weren’t allowed to even touch (or Hijikata was definitely not allowed over) because once they started, it was a train that was difficult to derail. Gintoki was not going to risk having sex in his house when there were innocent children there. At least, that was how he put it. Understandably. Hijikata would also be mortified if one of Gintoki’s kids walked in on them, especially China.

 

“I just said I have _work_ ,” Hijikata said. “Do you even listen or has the ungodly amount of sugar you ingest finally clogged your brain?”

 

“Fine, fine,” Gintoki said, waving him off. “Next time then.”

 

“I’ll call you when I’m free,” Hijikata said.

 

“When will that be?”

 

“I don’t know,” Hijikata answered vaguely. Honestly.

 

Gintoki shrugged. “Okay,” he said. Hijikata made a move to leave, but Gintoki grabbed him again.

 

“Goddammit, Yorozuya--” he started but was cut off by Gintoki pressing his lips to Hijikata’s again. Their kiss was soft and gentle and cautious and made Hijikata feel...warm. But he pulled away, flicking Gintoki on the forehead. “I have to get back to work.”

 

“Fine, fine! See ya,” Gintoki said, waving as Hijikata exited through the other side of the alley. Gintoki left through the side he originally pulled Hijikata through. He clapped his hands together. Okay. Now for that beer--

 

“Good evening, Danna,” said a voice and Gintoki nearly jumped ten feet in the air. Sougo was leaning against the nearby building in his yukata, arms crossed over his chest innocently, but his eyes gleaming with anything but.

 

“Ah, hey,” Gintoki greeted, wiping the back of his mouth with his hand. “What’s a brat like you doing out so late?”

 

“Hijikata-san forgot that we’re on patrol together tonight,” Sougo told him nonchalantly. He wasn’t even in uniform “Figured I’d tag along behind him until he remembered, or noticed. He hasn’t done either of those things. He’s been pretty absent-minded lately; I thought I’d keep an eye on him.”

 

“You’re just as bad as your gorilla captain,” Gintoki commented, waving him off. “My taxpayer dollars going to a good cause.”

 

“Don’t make like you pay taxes, Danna,” Sougo said with a laugh.

 

“True,” Gintoki agreed. “Well, then, aren’t you on patrol? Shouldn’t you get back to work instead of taking after that stalker you have for a commander?”

 

“Yeah, well,” Sougo shrugged dismissively. “I am working. I’ve been tailing some other people that were known to sell some weird Amanto drugs. They’re pretty weak and shitty, I don’t need Hijikata-san to help.  I’ll go bust them in a bit.”

 

“Aren’t you not allowed to tell me about your work?” Gintoki asked, raising an eyebrow.

 

“I suppose, but I trust you, Danna, it’s as simple as that,” Sougo said with a shrug. Gintoki felt his chest tighten. Trust. Was that something that he and Hijikata had, too? “And besides, I actually need your help.”

 

“Oh?”

 

“I mean, like I said, Hijikata-san has been acting strange and coming home late. Figured I would take it upon myself to see if there was anything bothering him. I was wondering if you knew anything about it.”

 

“Ah, how sweet. Not sure why you’d come to me,” Gintoki told him.

 

“But he’s been coming back late and as a fellow night owl, I thought you’d be able to help.” He pulled out a small notebook from his pockets and opened it, noisily flipping through a few pages. “Last night, three days ago, last Sunday, and last-last Wednesday, he came back really early in the morning,” Sougo continued, completely ignoring Gintoki.

 

 _Last Sunday_. Gintoki hadn’t met up with Hijikata last Sunday. He didn’t let the hollow pit in his stomach show on his face. “Seems like you’ve taken a special interest in this.”

 

“I’m just concerned about Hijikata-san.”

 

“And I believe you,” Gintoki said sarcastically. “But like I said, I don’t know anything about it.”

 

“Hmm, well, okay, I thought I would just ask since Danna normally knows everything,” Sougo said.

 

“Yes, I do know a lot,” Gintoki teased. “For example, I know they stop selling alcohol at midnight, so if you don’t mind, I have to go and get some.”

 

“Sure,” Sougo said, allowing Gintoki to pass. “If you find anything out about Hijikata-san, let me know, okay, Danna?”

 

“Sure thing,” Gintoki replied, lifting a hand to wave before ducking into the convenience store.

  
  


11:36 PM. Sougo walked away with the slightest of smiles tugging at the corner of his lips. That was almost _too_ easy.

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> tumblr: juricurlz  
> twitter: juridraws  
> come talk to me abt ginhiji!


	3. You Can Be The Moon and Still Be Jealous of the Stars, Or Something Like That, At Least

10:18AM. 

 

It’d been a few more days until Gintoki heard from Hijikata. It wasn’t like he waited by the phone or anything, but there was never really any way for Gintoki to get in contact with Hijikata. He was always working or not answering his phone and so Gintoki had learned to just wait sometimes. 

 

But waiting was  _ hard _ .

 

That was definitely a part of what was making Gintoki feel grouchier than usual today. And also the fact that he hadn’t eaten all day and given Kagura the last of his money. And also what Sougo had said the other week stuck in his mind no matter how much he tried to forget it. He tried not to let what Sougo said bother him. He really did. It just didn’t  _ work _ . Sougo had listed all the days for the last two weeks that Hijikata and Gintoki had met up, except that one ‘last Sunday’. He thought maybe Hijikata had a late shift or something, but Sougo wouldn’t be bothering to take notes on something so obvious. He probably did go out to see someone else. 

 

Gintoki would be lying if he said he didn’t care. But it wasn’t like he could say anything about it anyway. He and Hijikata weren’t “in a relationship” or anything like that, but it was to Gintoki’s understanding that maybe -- just  _ maybe _ \-- Hijikata wouldn’t be sleeping with anyone else. Not like they’d ever talked about anything like that in any case.

 

It wasn’t like Gintoki to be jealous. But he was anyway.

 

3:43 PM. Gintoki was seated in front of his favorite dango shop, finishing off one order of dango with the money he’d gotten on a new job. A hot cup of green tea was planted right next to his boot since he knew that he would definitely spill it if it were on the bench with him. It was a pretty perfect end to his long day--

 

Another black boot kicked the green tea and it spilled all over the dirt, Gintoki standing up and dropping his dango on the dirt next to the spilled tea. He just stared in silence at his late lunch now being devoured by a sea of ants.

 

“Someone kill me,” he mumbled, hanging his head in his hands.

 

“That can be arranged,” Hijikata responded, making a face at Gintoki.

 

“You totally did that on purpose!” Gintoki scolded, pointing a finger and Hijikata scowled.

 

“No I didn’t! You shouldn’t leave your damn tea on the ground!”

 

“You should watch where you’re going!” Gintoki sighed, plopping back down onto the bench, now dango-less and tea-less. “At least get me another one!”

 

“Ugh, you’re such a pain,” Hijikata huffed a sigh and disappeared into the dango shop, re-emerging with another plate of dango and hot tea for Gintoki, shoving it into his hands. He sat next to Gintoki on the bench and lit a cigarette without another word. 

 

“Oh, wow that was easy. Thanks, Hijikata,” Gintoki said with a grin and sat down again too, shoving the dango in his mouth. Hijikata had bought Gintoki two orders of dango. He noticed the slight bags under Gintoki’s eyes and Gintoki’s lack of energy and had a feeling that Gintoki probably hadn’t eaten for a while. But as usual, he didn’t say anything about it. What  _ could _ he say to that?  _ Of course  _ Hijikata wanted to help but it’s not like he could just...come out and say that. 

 

“Tonight,” Hijikata stated absently, inhaling. 

 

“Sure,” Gintoki said, shrugging. “I don’t have enough money for a hotel so I’ll ask Otae to take the kids. What time?”

 

“Um, I dunno, probably late,” Hijikata said, rubbing the bridge of his nose. “But I have a shift really early tomorrow so I have to leave right after.”

 

“Yeah, that’s fine,” Gintoki told him.  _ The usual _ . He was used to not looking disappointed.

 

“And then I won’t be able to see you for a while after, so,” Hijikata paused and let out a breath of smoke. “It’ll be the last time for a while.”

 

“Work stuff?”

 

“Yeah,” Hijikata said and Hijikata knew better than to pry. The last thing he wanted to do was annoy Hijikata into not coming over tonight.

 

But it definitely wasn’t in Gintoki’s nature. “Can you tell me what it’s about?”

 

“No,” Hijikata said simply, turning to look at Gintoki for the first time during their exchange. “You know I can’t tell you about work.”

 

_ But I trust you, Danna, it’s as simple as that. _

 

_ Trust _ . Gintoki now knew that he and Hijikata didn’t have that. But he shrugged and grinned anyway, despite suddenly feeling a little more grouchier than before. “Fair enough.”

 

“I’ll bring drinks or something and I’ll try to get off work as early as I can. I’ll call when I’m leaving.”

 

“Do whatever you need to do, dude.”

 

Hijikata tossed his half-smoked cigarette on the ground and stomped it out, standing up. “See you tonight then,” he said and then headed off down the road. Gintoki watched him leave and wondered what it was that seemed to be bothering Hijikata. But he knew Hijikata would never tell him anyway, no matter how much he wanted to help. And Gintoki did want to help. But it’s not like he could just say that.

 

4:00PM. Gintoki sighed and stood up, tossing his leftovers. The dango suddenly didn’t taste that good anymore anyway.

 

* * *

 

 

02:07AM. The kids had left a long time ago and Gintoki was sprawled out on the couch munching on some onigiri from the convenience store down the road. The lights were already off and he was already deep into his Cowboy Bebop marathon when there was a soft rap at the door. 

 

“It’s always open,” Gintoki called, sitting up.

 

He heard the door being slid open and shut and the thudding on the wooden floors and Hijikata appeared in his living room. “You shouldn’t leave the door unlocked. What if someone breaks in?”

 

“Yeah, the criminal is here now,” Gintoki teased playfully, gesturing to Hijikata as Hijikata sat on the couch opposite of him. Hijikata placed his plastic bag of beers on the table; they were sweating through the bag. 

 

“I had to get them earlier,” Hijikata said, mussing his hair. “They were cold when I left.”

 

“No need to apologize, Gin-san always loves beer,” he said with a grin, pulling one of the bottles out. He showed the bottle to Hijikata as though Hijikata hadn’t just bought it. “Ehhhhhh? Echigo! This is Gin-san’s favorite, you know!”

 

Hijikata decided to lie again. “I just bought whatever they had left,” he mumbled.

 

Gintoki grinned anyway. “Thanks, Hijikata.”

 

“It’s fine,” he said, waving Gintoki off. 

 

“Oh, hey, I thought you weren’t staying over?” Gintoki asked, gesturing to a small bag at Hijikata’s side.

 

“Hah? Oh, I’m just gonna go to work after this,” he said. “It’s my uniform and other shit.”

 

Gintoki checked the time. “Is your shift that early in the morning?”

 

“Would you stop asking me about work?” Hijikata growled, digging his cigarettes out of his pocket. “You know I can’t tell you anything.”

 

Gintoki seemed a little taken aback -- moreso than usual because Gintoki never seemed surprised when Hijikata snapped at him -- and Hijikata instantly wanted to take back his words. “Fine, sorry,” Gintoki mumbled, leaning back into the couch and opening his beer. 

 

Hijikata lit a cigarette and took a deep breath. He hated how he was sometimes. He hated that he gave Gintoki a hard time when he didn’t often mean to, especially when they were together. He just wanted to enjoy their time together and relax because the time they spent together was always brief, and so Hijikata hated when his bad mood spread to Gintoki.

 

But what the hell was Gintoki even upset about? The last time they’d seen each other was on the day that Gintoki had been at the movies with that blonde woman and her kid. Hijikata wished he had never seen it because it’d been bothering him for a whole week. Gintoki had never mentioned who he had gone to the movies with, as though leaving Hijikata to assume that Gintoki went to the movies with Kagura and Shinpachi when really, that wasn’t the case. 

 

And it wasn’t like Gintoki didn’t know that Hijikata stopped by his house that day; he had every opportunity to tell Hijikata if he was seeing someone else and he didn’t do so. And so for the last week or so, Hijikata felt so  _ fucking _ grouchy.

 

There was definitely something wrong with him, though, because Hijikata knew he had absolutely no right to be grouchy at all. They weren’t dating and they’d never talked about what they were doing but it always worked out fine. The thought that Gintoki might actually have feelings for someone else or want to be with someone else -- a  _ woman _ \-- never even really, actually crossed Hijikata’s mind. But seeing it in real life, right in front of him, reminded him that what they were doing was stupid in the first place.

 

So he came here tonight with every intention to have this be their last meeting. It really bothered him and he just needed to cut things off and then be forced to stay away from Gintoki. Because of work, he had no idea when he would be able to come back so it would be perfect. He could clear his head and come back renewed.

 

“Oh, I made some stuff for tonight,” Gintoki said suddenly, placing his beer back on the coffee table as he stood up, heading towards the kitchen. He returned with a platter of sliced bread and a ceramic bowl filled with some sort of sauce. It was still sort of steaming hot -- had Gintoki been slowly heating it this whole time?

 

He placed it down on the table and a delicious scent of cream and lobster and herbs filled the air and Hijikata looked up to see Gintoki grinning. “Smells so good, right?” he said, pushing the plate of bread of towards Hijikata. “Lobster dynamite! I did another job today so I could get money to make some.”

 

“You made this?” Hijikata asked, grabbing a piece of bread to dip it into the sauce.

 

“Yeah! I baked the bread, too, it’s garlic bread and I am amazing,” he boasted proudly.

 

Hijikata took a bite of the bread under Gintoki’s almost too-eager gaze and he hated to admit, “This is damn good,” he said, and Gintoki’s grin widened. The bread was light but crispy with just the right amount of garlic, and the sauce was rich and deep. Hijikata had probably never eaten anything this good even from a restaurant.

 

“Isn’t it?” Gintoki agreed, grabbing some food for himself. 

 

“Lobster, though? Can you afford that? You didn’t have to make this, you know.”

 

“Yeah, I know,” Gintoki said with a shrug. “But I mean you said you’ll be going away for a while, so I figured I’d make some food for a good last night. I’ll save up and make it again when you come back.”

 

Hijikata swallowed a lump in his throat at Gintoki’s warm smile. He ate another piece of bread. “Y-yeah, it’s really good. Thanks. You’re surprisingly a good cook.”

 

“Aren’t I?” Gintoki teased, scooping up another slice of bread.

 

“How did you learn this stuff anyway?”

 

“Well, when you’re poor, you gotta make the most of what you have,” Gintoki said with a shrug and a smile. “So I learned to cook, but I only got better at it when I had Kagura-chan and Patsuan to feed. You don’t cook?”

 

“No time,” Hijikata said. “And we have a mess hall at barracks so I never needed to learn.”

 

“Well, how about when you come back, you can come over and I’ll teach you how to make this?”

 

Hijikata clenched his jaw and paused. “I don’t...think we should see each other like this again,” he said, and Gintoki looked up, furrowing his brows as though waiting for Hijikata to continue. He didn’t.

 

“ _ What _ , are you  _ dying _ , or what’s going on? You think you can just say that with no explanation and I’ll be cool with it?” Gintoki asked when Hijikata didn’t elaborate. 

 

“Yeah,” Hijikata said as though that were supposed to be obvious. “That’s how this is supposed to work.”

 

“Well, I don’t know what I did to ever make you think that I would just roll over, but I’m sorry, that’s just  _ definitely  _ not how this is gonna go down,” Gintoki said, making a face, suddenly fiercely annoyed despite their casual conversation literally two seconds ago. “And what do you even mean by  _ ‘this’ _ ? I don’t think we’ve ever discussed anything about  _ ‘this’ _ , so I don’t know why you suddenly think you can make up rules.”

 

“Why are you making this difficult, Yorozuya?” Hijikata snapped back. 

 

“ _ You’re _ the one that’s being difficult. Do you have a problem with me, or something?”

 

“Actually,  _ yeah _ , I do,” Hijikata said before he could stop himself. 

 

“Well, feel free to share with the group what the  _ fuck _ your problem is,” Gintoki asked, raising his hands and spreading them out to an imaginary audience. “Because I was under the assumption that things were going fine, even though  _ you’re  _ the one that’s an asshole.”

 

“ _ I’m _ the asshole?” Hijikata snapped. “Really?  _ Me _ ?”

 

“Who else would I be talking about?” Gintoki snapped back. “You’re a  _ huge _ asshole but I never say shit about it because I know that’s how you are. I’m fine with it. But please,  _ please _ tell me what the fuck your problem is with me, despite the fact that I’m nothing but kind to you.”

 

“ _ Kind _ ? You’re a fucking  _ liar _ !” Hijikata hissed, his words like venom spilling from the back of his throat.

 

“What the  _ fuck _ have I ever lied to you about?” Gintoki asked, making a face. “As far as I know, I’ve told you nothing but the truth. I trust you. But apparently,  _ you _ don’t trust  _ me _ !”

 

“What the fuck are you talking about now?  _ You’re  _ the one that’s going out and fucking other people, Yorozuya, don’t play dumb with me!”

 

Gintoki paused for a second, his eyes blinking confusion. “Wait, huh? What are you talking about?” he asked, sounding genuinely confused. 

 

“I said  _ don’t  _ play dumb with me--” 

 

“I’m not,” Gintoki said, holding up his hands. “I’m not playing dumb but I’m also not sleeping with anyone else. Did I do something to make you think I was? Or is someone spreading rumors about me? I’ve told you this before, but Gin-san isn’t very popular, so I’m not sure why you would even think I’m with anyone else in the first place.”

 

“What about that woman, then?” Hijikata growled, annoyed.

 

“Haah? What woman?” 

 

“The blonde one with the kunai that has a son!” Hijikata snapped.

 

Gintoki blinked a few times. “Wait, Tsukky? We’re not sleeping together, and that’s not her son,” Gintoki said, furrowing his brows. “They’re both my friends from Yoshiwara.”

 

“ _The underground_ _red light district_.”

 

“I swear I’m not sleeping with her,” Gintoki said, holding his hands up. “Why would you think that?”

 

“You were with her and that kid at the movies. What the fuck else was I supposed to think?”

 

“That we were  _ friends _ ,” Gintoki said simply as though it were the obvious solution. “And then you were supposed to reevaluate your life and realize that you’re a stalker.”

 

Hijikata flushed beet red. “I-I’m not--”

 

“It’s fine,” Gintoki said with a small smile. “I actually think it’s cute.”

 

Hijikata could feel his ears heating up. “Shut up,” he mumbled and Gintoki laughed, the density of the air between them lightening a bit. “A-and for the record, I don’t know what you’re talking about as far as trust goes. You’re a jackass but it’s not like I don’t trust you. I wouldn’t bother with you otherwise.”

 

“Then, how come you never tell me about work?”

 

“What?” Hijikata asked, making a face. “What does me telling you about my job have to do with trust?”

 

“I mean I know I was under investigation because of all that Shiroyasha stuff, but I always ask you about work because I wanna have, like, conversation. And I know you work a lot and I’m sure you’d like to vent about it. But you never tell me about it.”

 

Hijikata sighed. “That has nothing to do with the Shiroyasha investigation, and it has nothing to do with me not trusting you.”

 

“Then what is it?”

 

Hijikata sighed again, rubbing the bridge of his nose. “It’s not important.”

 

“It is to me,” Gintoki said.

 

Hijikata groaned. “You’re so difficult.”

 

“ _ You’re _ the one making it difficult!”

 

Hijikata sighed one last time. “I don’t tell you about work because I know that you’re a dumbass, and if you think I’m gonna be doing something dangerous -- which is my  _ job  _ \-- I know your dumbass self is gonna shove your way into my case and put yourself in danger,” Hijikata mumbled, not making eye contact with Gintoki. “A-and it’s not that I think you’re weak because that’s not true either. I can just do my job better if I know you’re not...involved.”

 

When Hijikata dared to glanced up at Gintoki he had to look away again because Gintoki’s cheeks were dusted pink. Gintoki offered Hijikata a crooked grin. “That’s actually really nice.”

 

“S-shut up!” Hijikata snapped.

 

Gintoki chuckled, waving his hand. “Sorry, sorry. I really didn’t think you trusted me.”

 

“Well, you can’t just make shit up and then feel shitty about it when it isn’t even true!” Hijikata said.

 

“The same could apply to you,” Gintoki said with a shrug. “Soooo, did you want to talk about us or what?”

 

“There’s nothing to talk about,” Hijikata mumbled, taking another sip from his beer. 

 

Gintoki ignored him. “I mean, this,” he said, pointing between the two of them, “has been a whole ordeal but I don’t think we need titles or anything like that. We’re grown ass men. But I haven’t been sleeping with anyone else, and I don’t plan to either, if that makes you feel better.”

 

It did. “It doesn’t.”

 

Gintoki seemed to know Hijikata was lying. He grinned and held a hand over his heart. “I sincerely promise I won’t bone anyone else, as long as you promise the same.”

 

“I-I mean, if that’s what you want to do, that’s fine,” he mumbled.

 

“It is what I want,” Gintoki said with a shrug. Hijikata didn’t understand. How can someone be so honest? “Is that what you want?”

 

“I said it’s fine.”

 

“Cool,” Gintoki agreed, pushing the tray of food towards Hijikata with a grin. “Let’s eat, then.”   
  
  


* * *

 

 

4:36AM. The food was long finished and their drinks along the way, the TV just quiet noise in the background. Gintoki didn’t even know what they had been talking about for the last two hours, but he did know that he wasn’t grouchy anymore.

 

“What time do you have work anyway?” Gintoki asked, glancing at the clock on the TV.

 

“Six,” Hijikata told him. “Why, what time is it?” He turned to check and immediately stood up. “Ah, shit, I have to start getting ready,” he said, and proceeded into stumbling over the table.

 

“Okay,” Gintoki said, hopping up to help Hijikata. 

 

“I’m fine,” Hijikata told him, moving away to stand himself up. He had definitely had too much to drink, but he snatched up his bag anyway, trudging over to the bathroom to get changed. 

 

4:48AM.

 

Hijikata figured the faster he could get dressed, the fast he could just lie down and take his nap, in uniform, and the longer he could nap in said uniform before leaving for work.

 

“I have to sleep before work,” he told Gintoki as he dropped his bag. 

 

“What’s the job tomorrow?”

 

Hijikata paused. “A stakeout.”

 

Gintoki was silent for a while and Hijikata almost thought he didn’t hear him, but when he turned, Gintoki was struggling to stifle a laugh. “Y-you’re such an idiot,” he snorted through his hand. “You came here at 2 AM the night before a stakeout that starts at 6 AM! Aren’t your shifts for stakeouts like 12 hours at a time? Who are you partnered with?”

 

Hijikata stared at Gintoki. “It’s just me.”

 

Gintoki burst out laughing, falling back onto the couch and Hijikata fired him a glare. Hijikata opened his mouth to snap but Gintoki stopped laughing, propping himself up on his elbows. He grinned at Hijikata. “Man, you’re such an idiot,” he said, still smiling. “You did this for me? You must kinda like me, huh?” 

 

“I hate you,” Hijikata said flatly, flicking Gintoki off.

 

Gintoki just grinned and held out his hand and Hijikata stepped closer, despite how annoyed he was. Later, he would chalk it up to being slightly more drunk than he thought. Gintoki tugged on Hijikata’s jacket so he could lean down and press their lips together. Gintoki’s hand slid up and into Hijikata’s hair and they deepened the kiss. Hijikata would have knelt to the couch to stay with Gintoki but he pulled away gently, pressing his forehead to Gintoki’s. “I’m sorry,” he mumbled. “I have to sleep.”

 

Gintoki chuckled softly. “It’s fine,” he said, kissing Hijikata’s lips again. Gintoki’s lips were so warm and soft and just  _ nice  _ that Hijikata couldn’t help but get lost in him for just a little while. Perhaps he got a bit too lost, and found himself straddling Gintoki’s lap, his hands tangled in Gintoki’s silver hair as they kissed deeply, teeth clacking and noses bumping slightly as Gintoki wrapped his arms around Hijikata’s waist. 

 

“Actually, I changed my mind,” he heard Gintoki say quietly into his ear before nibbling on it, his hands sliding up behind Hijikata’s jacket. “Let me keep you awake for a little longer.”

 

Hijikata visibly shuddered and found himself unable to resist, despite himself. His fingers tugged on the zipper of Gintoki’s shirt as Gintoki’s lips found their way to Hijikata’s neck, leaving a trail of kisses there as he took off Hijikata’s ascot while Hijikata pulled off Gintoki’s shirt. He dragged his fingers down Gintoki’s chest, over his taut abs and back up to pinch at Gintoki’s nipples. Gintoki’s breath hitched slightly at the touch and he bit lightly at Hijikata’s collarbones in retaliation. 

 

Hijikata shrugged off his jacket and tossed it aside. Gintoki’s hands worked quickly, pulling out the shirt tucked into Hijikata’s pants and undoing his belt, the metal buckle clanking sharply against the wooden floor. He palmed Hijikata over his pants and Hijikata rolled his hips into Gintoki’s touch. Gintoki shifted against slightly so that Hijikata could push and grind against Gintoki’s crotch.

 

Gintoki was already hard, and he could feel that Hijikata was the same. He unbuttoned Hijikata’s pants and helped him take them off before Hijikata unbuttoned his and pulled them down. Gintoki grabbed both of their cocks, wet with precum, stroking them together and against eachother, Hijikata clinging desperately to him, burying his face in Gintoki’s neck. 

 

“ _ Ahhh _ , fuck, Gintoki,” he breathed into Gintoki, rolling up and thrusting in time with Gintoki’s strokes. He let out tiny moans and grunts that he tried to bite back as Gintoki rubbed his thumb over Hijikata’s head. His breathing was already ragged. “Ahh, fuck,  _ please _ ,” he groaned into Gintoki and felt Gintoki dip forward, supporting Hijikata’s back as he bent Hijikata backward. He pulled open the drawer on the coffee table and plucked out a tiny tube of lube before sitting back upright.

 

“You just keep that there?” Hijikata breathed, incredulous. “What if the kids found that?”

 

“Ah,  _ no _ , don’t talk about Gin-san’s kids right now,” Gintoki chuckled, popping open the bottle of lube and squeezing some onto his fingers. Hijikata knew what to do, lifting himself slightly so Gintoki could press his fingers at Hijikata’s entrance, teasing him before pushing his fingers in. Hijikata felt his chest tighten and he arched his back as Gintoki licked his lips at his reaction. Gintoki inserted another finger and scissored them inside Hijikata, stretching him out and drawing out a muted groan that Hijikata doused into Gintoki’s neck. Hijikata shifted slightly and fucked himself on Gintoki’s fingers, the couch creaking with his movements as his cock slapped against his stomach, thick and heavy with want. 

 

Gintoki inserted a third finger and used his other hand to stroke their cocks together, watching Hijikata carefully. Gintoki always loved the fact that he could turn the Demon Vice Commander into a writhing, hot, mewling mess. He probably was the only one that had  _ ever  _ seen Hijikata like this and the thought made Gintoki so hot he couldn’t even think straight. 

 

“Please,  _ ahhh _ , fuck,” Hijikata breathed, his hands shaking on Gintoki’s shoulders. Gintoki pulled his fingers out and Hijikata exhaled with the disappointment of being emptied. Gintoki poured more lubricant over himself and reached up to position Hijikata, but Hijikata was already moving, seating himself on Gintoki’s cock.

 

Gintoki grunted and threw his head back into the couch as he felt himself entering a tight ring of muscle, Hijikata lowering himself until he was completely seated on Gintoki. Gintoki’s hands came to rest on Hijikata’s hips as the two of them just took one second to breathe. Hijikata’s movements were hot, and slick, and  _ oh, God, he was so tight _ , but Gintoki resisted all urges to slam up into him.

 

Gintoki knew when Hijikata was ready, as he picked up his rhythm, and Gintoki allowed himself to press up into Hijikata at just the right angle, which earned him a fistful of his hair being yanked as he grazed Hijikata’s prostate. Gintoki licked his lips and repeated the motion, harder, drawing out a groan from Hijikata. 

 

“Fuck, you feel so good,” Gintoki breathed, looking up at Hijikata and reveling in the way his cheeks were flushed and his hair in a disarray. Sloppy and uninhibited; this was exactly the Hijikata that Gintoki loved seeing. One of Gintoki’s hands dropped to stroke Hijikata’s cock and Hijikata bit back a moan into Gintoki’s neck.

 

Gintoki watched his cock disappear into Hijikata over and over again, Hijikata’s noises becoming sharper and less muted the harder and faster they went. Which, normally, Gintoki really didn’t mind at all. Getting Hijikata’s voice to come out was one of Gintoki’s favorite things. When they were at a  _ hotel _ . With the old woman, cat, and robot downstairs, and the sounds this couch was making at almost five in the morning, Gintoki knew he was in for a ton of bullshit when he saw them tomorrow.

 

But right now, he didn’t care. He let Hijikata fucking  _ bounce  _ on top of him and make those noises Gintoki loved so much for a little while longer.

 

“Ahh, Gintoki,” Hijikata groaned, burying his face into Gintoki’s shoulder as Gintoki felt Hijikata tighten and spasm around him, spilling hot onto Gintoki’s hand. Gintoki slammed up into Hijikata few more times before his own orgasm ripped through him. He rode it out for a few more pumps, still needing to support Hijikata with one arm. He fully expected Hijikata to snap at him for coming inside him -- Hijikata hated that when he needed to work -- but instead, Hijikata leaned into Gintoki and kissed him.

 

Being on the same page sure was great.

 

Hijikata pulled himself off Gintoki and stood up. Gintoki grinned sheepishly. “Sorry,” he said, and Hijikata rolled his eyes. 

 

“You’re the worst,” Hijikata mumbled, shoving his hand into Gintoki’s face. He stood up but not without Gintoki pulling him down for one last kiss. Hijikata scowled. 

 

He tugged on Hijikata’s hand with a grin. “Shower?” he asked.

 

Hijikata rolled his eyes. “You know I hate you, right?”

 

“Yeah,” Gintoki said as he headed to the bathroom, Hijikata following right behind him. “I know.”

  
  



End file.
